Chapter Three

Mariah and the others went back to the dining table and sat there between the two brothers, nervously. Thorin hadn't acknowledged her yet. To her that was perfectly fine. He is extremely intimidating and even grumpier than Bilbo was.

Gandalf handed Thorin a key. It was pretty. Thorin's facial expression was a shocked one. Mariah was confused about this whole thing. She turned to face Kili and felt her heart stop when she seen how close their faces already were.

Kili looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "What is wrong?"

"What is that key?" Mariah whispered.

"That key is to a hidden door to our home. Our home was taken from us and we are on a journey to take it back." Kili said with a smile and a fist in the air.

"Are you coming with us?" Spoke Fili, making Mariah turn her head.

"Well, I'm not exactly the traveling type person but...sure, why not? I mean…I have nothing else to do. Maybe on the journey I can find a way to get back home." Mariah replied.

Thorin looked over at her and frowned. "Who is this young maiden?" He asked.

"My name is Mariah Elizabeth Haywood…" Mariah answered with a sheepish tone.

"Why do you wear such strange clothes? Why do you sit so closely to my nephew?" He asked in his intensely deep voice.

Mariah bit her lip and shied away from Kili, sitting up right. She had no idea that she scooted so close to him. Kili made a soft disappointed sigh at his uncle.

"I'm sorry…" She apologized.

"Mariah is not from this world." Spoke Gandalf.

Gandalf told Thorin everything that he knew about Mariah. Thorin nodded and then looked back to the girl.

"So, how old are you? You look to be a child." Thorin said.

"I...um…I don't know how old I would be in dwarven years but in my time I just turned nineteen."

"So you are a child." Thorin replied.

"In my time I am considered an adult. At eighteen is when a person becomes one." Mariah said.

"I see. So, do you wish to be a part of this journey?" Thorin asked with a hard stare. Scary.

She nodded slightly. "Of course, I don't know how to fight. I do know how to cook! So, I guess that's a plus for me…"

"Do not burden us with your lack of fighting skills. Also, I cannot guarantee that you will live during this journey."

"I-I…" Mariah began to speak but was interrupted by Kili and Fili.

"I'll watch over her, Uncle." Spoke Kili.

"I, as well, will watch over her." Fili added.

There was a pause as everyone thought.

"If that is what you two wish. Now, back to Erebor…" Thorin said to Gandalf.

Mariah looked at Fili and back to Kili. She whispered to them. "You guys don't have to do that…"

"I want to." Kili said.

"I know that my younger brother can be dumb at times, so I will also protect you." Fili grinned over to his brother. He looked to Mariah and shook his head. "Just try to stay out of trouble."

Mariah nodded and put her hand on her necklace. She rubbed at it with her thumb over the stone. She looked down at it and it looked to be glowing a bit brighter.

"The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map, and I do not have the skill to find it, but there are others in Middle-Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But if we're careful and clever, I believe that it can be done." Gandalf announced.

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori said.

"Hmm…and a good one too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo said.

Everyone turned to Bilbo and Gloin spoke.

"And are you?"

"Am I what?" Bilbo asked.

"He said he's an expert!" Oin shouted.

"Me? No! No, no, no! I…I'm not a burglar. I have never stolen a thing in my life."

"And I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin said.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin said and looked over to Mariah.

She heard Kili huff softly and put an arm around her shoulders. She felt him lean in and whisper to her.

"Don't listen to them. I will protect you." Kili whispered.

"I'll try to do the same…" She whispered back in his ear, making Kili smile.

All the dwarves started to speak over one another. Gandalf stood and spoke in a very loud and strong voice.

"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is! Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen if they choose, and while a dragon is accustomed to the smell of a dwarf, the scent of a hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest. And he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including myself."

"You also found us a fifteenth member." Dwalin added.

"I guess so, Master Dwalin." Gandalf agreed.

As Gandalf spoke in his powerful voice, Mariah scooted a further away but bumped into someone. That someone was Kili. He had a small smile and put his hand on her shoulder that was further away from him. Mariah blushed when she made eye contact with him. Damn him and those stupid eyes. He gave her another small wink and then looked over at Gandalf and Thorin.

"Very well. We'll do it your way. Balin, hand him the contract." Thorin commanded.

Balin gave Bilbo a contact for him to read and sign. He turned to look at Mariah and smiled. "If you are coming with us, you too will have to sign this. It's just the usual…pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth."

"Funeral…arrangements?" Mariah said with a lump in her throat.

While Bilbo was reading the contract aloud, Thorin leaned over to Gandalf and whispered. "I will not be responsible for his and Mariah's safety. Nor will we be responsible for their fate."

"Understood," The wizard replied.

"…including but not limited to…lacerations, eviscerations, and…incineration?" Bilbo asked as he looked over at the company.

"Aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur said with a smile.

Bilbo looked as if he was going to pass out. He took a few breaths before Balin spoke. Mariah too wasn't feeling very well.

"You alright there, Laddie?" Balin asked.

"Yeah…" He took more breaths and stood up. "I'm feeling a bit faint."

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur spoke up and he stood, not knowing that Bilbo was seconds away to passing out.

"I need air…" Bilbo spoke.

Mariah sat there watching everything happen with concern etched on her face. "A dragon…death…no. I don't want to die!"

"Flash of light, searing pain and poof, you're nothin' more than a pile of ash." Bofur said.

"Poof…" Mariah thought. "That's probably what my fate is going to be."

Bilbo stood there for a few seconds before speaking. "Nope," Then he collapsed onto the floor.

Mariah sat there like a statue. She could hear Kili calling out to her but she didn't respond. She felt his hand on her chin and let him guide her face to his. Looking up at him, she smiled a bit so he wouldn't notice the small tears that appeared in her eyes.

"Don't act like you're fine. What's wrong?" Kili asked with the look of concern on his face. Her trick, if you would even call it that, didn't work. "It's about the journey, isn't it?"

She bit her bottom lip and shrugged. "I…just don't want to die. I didn't get to say bye to my mom and family." Mariah looked down but Kili brought her back to look up at him. "Plus, I'm sure my older sister wouldn't be too happy with me dying." She tried to joke but it came out awkward as a tear streamed out of her right eye. "If she knew about it, she'd probably bring me back to life and call me stupid before having me killed again. I'm joking of course."

"I won't let you get killed. I'll protect you." He smiled his goofy, charming smile. Kili wiped away the stray tear with his free hand. "You know, even if you cry, your tear stained cheeks will do nothing to your beauty. However, I prefer my women to be happy. Now, smile."

"My…?" She thought to herself. "My?!"

Seeing that smile always gets to her heart. It's a dream though, but the dream felt so real. She never had a male treat her this way, nor had any positive male interaction at all. He seemed too good to be true. It's odd how he had such a nice side to him but yet had this troublemaker side too.

"We leave at first light." Thorin announced. "Get some rest, all of you." He looked over at Mariah, who was staring at him as well. He bowed his head a bit before leaving the table.

Later that night the men and she were sitting around the fireplace. None were tired or so it seemed. Some men were smoking their pipes. Thorin was leaning on the fireplace as well as Fili, looking into the fire. Kili was sitting down in a chair. Mariah stood next to him and stared at the fire.

"Come sit." Spoke Kili and he patted his lap.

Mariah blushed and shook her head. "It's fine, really. Besides, I have a boney bum." Mariah tried to joke. She thought to herself. "Stupid idiot! Just sit on his lap!"

Fili chuckled when she heard her joke, remembering that he said she wasn't anything but skin and bones.

Kili breathed a smile before grabbing her hand and had her sit on his lap. Once she sat down she looked at the floor, way too shy to look at him.

Kili began to whisper in her ear and by the judge of his tone he was smirking. "See? Was that so bad?"

"Horrible." Mariah joked and looked over at him with a grin. Where did this bravery come from?

Kili chuckled a bit and placed his arm around her waist.

Thorin, Fili and Balin were close to each other, watching Mariah and Kili.

"Look at that…" Fili said with a smirk.

"Seems like your baby brother fancies her," Balin said to Fili.

Thorin shook his head. "He should not fall for that woman. She is not from this world and he will get hurt."

"How so," Asked Fili.

"On this journey there is no telling what will happen. If he was to fall in love with her and she died…" Thorin trailed off and frowned. "You know as well as I do that Kili would be devastated. Dwarves only fall in love once. That connection is strong and it is to be said to be unbreakable, even after death. This human girl…how do we know that she would feel the same?"

"We don't." Balin said.

"But that doesn't mean we shouldn't let them fall for each other." Fili added. "If he chooses to love her, then let him. Look at how they move together. They just met, yet it looks though they've known each other for a long time. One moves and the other follows."

"I will not allow one of my nephews to fall for some girl who could leave and never return." Thorin said. "It is true of what you say, Fili. I have seen this before, but that doesn't mean it's right."

"They are young. Let them be young." Balin spoke and touched Thorin's shoulder.

"Fine, but if it gets to be a distraction for Kili…I will end it. Kili will not die for that woman." Thorin said in his leader voice, ending the discussion.

About a few moments pass before Thorin began to sing and the other men chimed in. When they started to sing along they stood up. Kili didn't since Mariah was on his lap.

"Far over the Misty Mountains cold

To dungeons deep and cavers old

We must away ere break of day,

To find our long forgotten gold"

That's when some of the men started to stand as they sang. Kili and Fili were humming and so were some of the others. Kili's humming sounded so familiar and it soothed her. As she became more comfortable, she leaned more into him. Mariah laid her head on his shoulder and listened to them.

"The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches blazed with light"

Mariah sighed softly and she wiped away a tear. That song was so sad. Their home was taken away from them. They too were homeless like her.

"Don't cry." Kili whispered to her, putting the side of his chin on her head. "Everything will be alright. We'll get out home back and we will find a way to get you back to your family."

"I hope so…" She looked up at him and smiled a bit.

"Too bad that Bilbo isn't coming with us." Fili said as he came over by them.

"Yeah…I can try to talk to him." Mariah spoke out. "Maybe even convince him?"

"Try if you must, but he will not be convinced. He is a hobbit." Thorin said. "Hobbit's prefer the comfort of their home over some far off journey."

"It doesn't hurt to try though…" Mariah added but ducked her head.

Thorin turned his head and went back to staring at the fire, dismissing her effectively.

"Don't mind him. He's just always grumpy." Fili said and patted her head.

"Yeah, don't worry you'll get used to him." Kili added.

"I hope so. I don't want to get on his bad side."

Fili chuckled and Kili spoke. "Everyone is always on his bad side it seems."

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I will be updating my story once a month. This month is just special because I want to try to get you into it more. I feel like two chapters wasn't enough to draw you in. Hopefully this chapter did. If you all enjoy my story…perhaps I will update twice a month?